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Is having bigger biceps protective for your overall health? Researchers explore

All the more reason to pump iron and grow those guns

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man flexing muscles strong arms
Mike Jones / Pexels

Bulging biceps are usually the main muscles that come to mind when we think about upper body strength and a muscular physique. Your biceps are the large muscles at the front of your upper arms, and many powerlifters and fitness enthusiasts torch those biceps with moves like the classic bicep curl, the concentration curl, and the push-up. I like bicep curls because they’re simple, but you can definitely feel those muscles working, hence the name. 

Recently, researchers explored whether having bigger biceps is protective for your overall health and promotes longevity. If you need any more reasons to pump iron and train your arms, let’s look at the research on those guns.

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The research

Man doing concentration curls white shirt
Andres Ayrton / Pexels

In a large study published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle, researchers pooled data from almost 900,000 people. A primary goal was to determine how muscle mass affected the risk of mortality from various causes. The study included those with muscle wasting, which refers to declining muscle mass.

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The results

Man doing high cable bicep curl in gym with cable machine
Franco Monsalvo / Pexels

The researchers concluded that individuals with bigger arms have a significantly lower risk of mortality from any cause. They reported that lower muscle mass measured by upper arm circumference was consistently associated with a higher risk of mortality from a range of causes. Individuals with muscle wasting had a 36% higher risk of mortality from any cause, including heart disease, respiratory illness, and cancer. 

The researchers noted that arm circumference is one of the most accessible and reliable indicators of overall muscle health and longevity.

Muscle mass and metabolic health

strong man flexing arms biceps
Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels

Previous research highlights how increasing muscle mass improves metabolism. Other studies show that increasing your muscle mass over time also helps prevent the development of metabolic syndrome, so beefing up those biceps and torching those triceps in the gym provides plenty of benefits. 

Powerful arms won’t just help you win an arm-wrestling match; you use your arms every day for various activities and functional tasks, so improving your upper body strength can help you in your day-to-day life. I think this mounting research makes me want to grab those dumbbells.

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Steph Green
Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…

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